Attending school is both necessary and the law. State law requires school attendance until the age of sixteen. Students who do not maintain good attendance may fail, lose certain privileges, and/or have their parents taken to court. North Dickinson County School has an attendance policy to avoid these negative consequences.
Excusable, Approved Absences:
The following are legitimate reasons for not being in school: Illness, medical, family bereavement, church related absences, pre-arranged family vacation, school related activities.
Parents are encouraged to schedule their child's appointments with doctors and dentists during non-school hours to the extent possible.
Excusable, Non-Approved Absence:
If a student is absent from school because of suspension, the absence will not be considered truancy, and he/she may be given the opportunity to make up the schoolwork that is missed.
Unexcused Absences:
Any student who is absent from school for all or any part of the day without a legitimate excuse shall be considered truant and the student and his/her parents shall be subject to the truancy laws of the State.
No credit shall be given for any schoolwork not completed as a result of truancy.
Notification of Absence:
If a student is going to be absent, the parents must contact the school at (906) 542-9281 by 9:00a.m. and provide an explanation. If prior contact is not possible, the parents should provide a written excuse as soon as possible. When no excuse is provided, the absence will be unexcused and the student will be considered truant. If the absence of a student appears to be questionable or excessive, the school staff will try to help the student improve attendance.
An excused absence allows the student to make up all possible work. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain missed assignments. It is possible that certain kinds of schoolwork such as labs or skill-practice sessions cannot be made up and, as a result, may negatively impact a student's grade.
* If the absence is unexcused or unauthorized by the Principal, a student will not be given the opportunity to make up the work.
The skipping of classes or any part of the school day is considered an unexcused absence and no make-up of class work will be permitted. Disciplinary action will also follow.
Permission to Leave School Before the End of the Day:
If a student needs to leave school early for excused, approved reasons as listed above, he/she must have a note from parents stating the reason for leaving early and the time the student is to leave. Students also need to sign out in the office.
* Students who leave early without a note will be considered truant.
Tardiness:
Each student is expected to be in his/her assigned location throughout the school day. If a student is late in arriving at school, he/she is to report to the school office before proceeding to his/her first assigned location. Any student who is late up to ten (10) minutes shall be disciplined by the teacher. Students who are more than ten (10) minutes late will be considered absent for that instructional period.
Students who are tardy three (3) or more times during a semester shall be disciplined as follows:
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3 tardies - Noon Detention |
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4 tardies - Noon Detention |
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5 tardies - 2hr. after School Detention |
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Additional tardies will result in additional after school detentions. |
Vacations during the School Year:
Parents are encouraged not to take their child out of school for vacations. When a family vacation must be scheduled during the school year, the parents should discuss the matter with the Principal to make necessary arrangements. Refer to Section (d) under the heading of General Procedures.
Make-up of Tests and Other School Work:
Students who are excusably absent from school or who have been suspended shall be given the opportunity to make up work that has been missed. The student should contact classroom teachers as soon as possible to obtain assignments.
Make-up work due to suspension must be completed within one (1) day after returning to school.
Students will be given the number of days of excused absence within which to make up work.
If a student misses a teacher's test due to excused absence, he/she may make arrangements with the teacher to take the test. If he/she misses a MEAP Test or other standardized test, the student should consult with the Principal to arrange for taking the test.
Attendance Policy and Procedure
Regular attendance at school is vitally important to each student as it can directly affect his/her progress academically and his/her development of attitudes and habits for later life. The following procedures are based on the assumption that a maximum of five (5) absences per nine week marking period are more than adequate to cover the legitimate needs of the majority of students.
While keeping records of student attendance is a school function, the primary responsibility for insuring regular attendance at school rests with the parent/guardian and the student. At the same time, the school continually tries to teach students the value and importance of regular attendance. Through the cooperative efforts of parents and the school, it is hoped that each student will develop attendance habits and attitudes, which will be helpful to the present and future endeavors of the student.
Objectives:
The policy and procedures regarding student attendance are designed to accomplish three primary objectives:
1) To instill in each student the sense of responsibility necessary for success in high school.
2) To identify and attempt to remedy situations where student absence is having and adverse effect on the student's progress in school.
3) To maintain an accurate record of attendance for each student, which becomes part of the student's permanent school record that is requested by employers and other schools.
General Procedures:
1) Students and parent/guardians are responsible for being familiar with all attendance regulations.
2) Parents/Guardians and students should make every effort to schedule vacations, family trips, medical and dental appointments, family work and other personal business at times when school is not in session. Family vacations and trips are excused but are not documented absences.
3) When a student is absent the parent or guardian should call the school on each day the student is not in attendance. If a phone call is not possible, the parent should write a note, which explains the nature of the absence, and the student should bring that note with him/her to the office on the day he/she returns to school. An absence will be considered unexcused when a student returns to school without any communications from the student's parents or guardians.
4) The maximum number of days a student can miss a class and still receive a passing grade is five (5) per marking period. Any absences beyond five (5) days per marking period will result in the student receiving an "F" in the class. A passing grade will not be issued unless the student makes up the time for classes where there are excessive absences, and also satisfactorily completes all assignments, tests, labs, quizzes, homework, projects, etc. This must be completed to the satisfaction of the teachers by the end of the marking period. In the case of the second and fourth marking periods by the last day of final exams. Absences due to the following reasons are not credited in the total:
a) Medical or dental (documented by a note from the physician or dentist)
b) Family emergency such as a death in the family or grave illness (documented by a note from the parent/guardian. Additional documentation may be requested.)
c) Church related absence: Retreats (documented by church or group leader) or Officially recognized holidays (student must be an active member of the particular faith) *Additional documentation may be requested.
d) Pre-approved vacations of 5 days or longer: When family vacations are planned requiring 5 or more days, permission must be received from the principal. The following are guidelines:
1) Application form for permission to be absent.
2) Advance notice at least equal to number of vacation days.
3) Must contact each teacher for assignments in writing with work due upon return. (Work not possible to do on vacations - quizzes, speeches, etc. will be done within same number of days absent beginning with 1st day returned.
4) An original two page paper about an educational site visited. If guidelines are followed, vacation days are counted as excused absences.
e) College visits (juniors & seniors) need an application form from the guidance counselor, two (2) weeks in advance and a verification form from college when they return.
Restitution:
We believe in giving students the opportunity to correct mistakes made. If a student has reached six (6) absences in a class and stands to have his/her grade lowered, that student may "buy back" one class absence by serving a 75 minute (1.5 X regular class room time) after school detention. High school staff will supervise after school detentions on Mondays and Thursdays. When a student serves on after school detention to buy back class time missed, it is the responsibility of the student to let the teacher supervising the detention to know that it is a "buy back" detention so that the teacher can ensure the student gets credit for it.